Welcome to website of Sehyogini, a not for profit charity, that provides microcredit to disadvantaged women in rural U.P., India.

Sehyogini, meaning "one who supports", leases buffalos to women without credit, assets, or collateral at very nominal interest rates. 

The traditional banking sector and MFIs in U.P. generally provide loans to individuals that have savings, collateral and are an upward economic trajectory. However, lending to truly economically challenged individuals-those with no savings, no assets, and no access to funds-is rare. Even if loans are offered to these marginalized individuals, the loan amounts are limited (less than RS 10,000) and the interest rates are exploitative (upwards of 24%); recipients can end up more economically depressed than when they first received the loans. 

Sehyogini's microcredit model provides low income women with asset building opportunities while achieving nearly a 100% loan recovery rate. Typically, standard microcredit models have loan defaults due primarily to the recipient investing the loan in non-income generating activities. Sehyogini recognizes this reality and therefore does not provide funding directly to the recipient. Instead, Sehyogini purchases the buffalo on behalf of the recipient and then leases it to the recipient. The latter then pays back the loan in installments from the sale of the buffalo milk and dung.